Patients have been telling us that they want to be offered more convenience, choice and control in how they access GP services. If you wish to, you can now:

Book appointments online

Request repeat prescriptions for any medications you take regularly

Amend/update your contact details

View test results

View your medical record

In addition you can speak to us face to face or via the telephone

It’s your choice.

Accessing your Medical Record online

Evidence shows that patients who are informed and involved in their own care have better health outcomes and are less likely to be admitted to hospital. By having access to your medical records online you will be empowered to take greater control of your health and wellbeing.

Currently we are offering patient online access to the following areas of the Medical Record:

Medications – current and past

Allergies

Test results

Immunisations

Consultations

letters to follow

Accessing your medical record online means that you can access it from anywhere in the world should you require medical treatment on holiday. Online access to your medical information is available on computers, tablets, smartphones and android phones. There are apps available in the Apple App store and Google play.

If you decide not to join or wish to withdraw, this is your choice and practice staff will continue to treat you in the same way as before

How do I register?

Patients may book an initial appointment on line as soon as they have completed a simple online registration process. Register yourself using your personal information or come to the practice and we will provide you with passwords for you to access online services. Register here

Things to consider before registering to access your patient records:

Forgotten history

There may be something you have forgotten about in your record that you might find upsetting.

Abnormal results or bad news

If your GP has given you access to test results or letters, you may see something that you find upsetting to you. This may occur before you have spoken to your doctor or while the surgery is closed and you cannot contact them.

Choosing to share your information with someone

It’s up to you whether or not you share your information with others – perhaps family members or carers. It’s your choice, but also your responsibility to keep the information safe and secure.

Coercion

If you think you may be pressured into revealing details from your patient record to someone else against your will, it is best that you do not register for access at this time.

Misunderstood information

Your medical record is designed to be used by clinical professionals to ensure that you receive the best possible care. Some of the information within your medical record may be highly technical, written by specialists and not easily understood. If you require further clarification, please contact the surgery for a clearer explanation.

Information about someone else

If you spot something in the record that is not about you or notice any other errors, please log out of the system immediately and contact the practice as soon as possible.

A more secure identity verification process is required before full access to appointment, repeat prescription ordering or medical record access services may be enabled. Every practice is required to verify patient identity documentation, or individually vouch for each patient requesting access to online services. To request access to your medical record you will need to come to the practice to provide identification.

Security

The information held in your GP record is stored on a secure NHS accredited server. It will be your responsibility to keep your login details and password safe and secure. If you know or suspect that your record has been accessed by someone that you have not agreed should see it, then you should change your password immediately. If you can’t do this for some reason, we recommend that you contact the practice so we can remove online access until you are able to reset your password. If you print out any information from your record, it is also your responsibility to keep this secure. If you are at all worried about keeping printed copies safe, we recommend that you do not make copies at all.

Proxy access on behalf of children

Our existing practice protocols for proxy access to children’s paper-based records has been extended and tailored to include online record access. People with parental responsibility for children under age 12 normally have automatic rights to access their children’s records, although not all parents have parental responsibility. Proxy access for parent and guardian to a child’s record is a practice-level decision.

Parental access to a child’s online service will be inactivated on the child’s 11th birthday. If access is still required the parent and child must visit the practice together to either resume parental access or activate access for the child independently this will be dealt with on a case by case basis.

Proxy access on behalf of another adult

To obtain proxy access a person must be registered for online access at the practice where the patient they are acting for is registered. Patients may choose to use online services such as appointment booking, ordering repeat prescriptions or access to their records. They may choose to share their account credentials with family, friends and carers (including a care home) but as part of their access application they must be advised of the risks associated with doing this. Proxy is the recommended alternative to sharing login details.

Digital inclusion

There are a number of different services for people who want to get onto the internet. Many are provided by local authorities, colleges and charities. The best place to start would be your local library.

NHS England is also working with the Tinder Foundation on supporting people who want to make better use of the health information that is available on the internet. You can find out more on:

What to do if you are experiencing technical difficulties accessing your GP practice’s online services?

Please visit the practice website for further support and information and try logging on a little later. If you have issues accessing Patient Access or want to know more please click here Patient Access Support

The practice has a right to remove online access to services for anyone that doesn’t use them responsibly.

NB The companies who are developing the ‘online services for patients’ are always responding to requests for changes, developments and enhancements so there maybe changes to the online services you receive to what is described above. We will endeavour to keep our information up to date.